CRAIGFIN

I'm trying to find a real world opinion on the Ford RS Focus as I'm quite interested in buying one. There are only 2147 in the UK so I know this is a long shot but I'm avoiding the Ford forums as I want an opinion from people that are not loyal to the marque.

RS Focus 1

RS Focus 2

RS Focus Interior 1

RS Focus Interior 2

I currently own a Nissan 350Z and I'm thinking of getting an RS Focus and using the rest of the money to build a Tiger B6 with a Suzuki Hayabusa engine for track and road use, similar to this...Tiger B6

I've considered getting an RS Focus a couple of times before but I've never driven one. I'm attracted to the exclusivity, cheap price and its relative lightness compared to my previous four cars. It's weight is only 1175kgs compared to my two porky Zeds at 1545kgs and my Prodrive Scooby at 1445kgs ish!! The power to weight ratio is slightly better than my Zed so the performance shouldn't be a million miles away. I like the push button start as well .
The only cons I have is the pig ugly steering wheel and the front wheel drive. Various online sources do say it is one of the best front wheel cars around. I'm familiar with the "torque steer" issue, but it doesn't put me off as I like "slightly flawed" cars as they are more of a handfull.

Can anybody offer an opinion who has driven or owned one? I have one very favourable opinion from a bloke at work but I'd like a few more....good or bad!!

Cheers,

Craig.

zip106

I had one for about 13 months.
Ignore what people say about the torque steer.....you know it's going to happen so it's not a problem and I never found it as bad as people say (mine was an 03 plate).

Running costs are pretty reasonable, Optimax or the like is what is needed and that's actually cheaper than diesel round these parts.

The standard tyres are probably the best (Michelin) but I put Toyo T1Rs on mine and they were damn fine.
I found it more fun than my UK Impreza round the twisties and there's nothing in it in a straight line, and as you say, a bit 'unruly' is sometimes good

I'd have another one tomorrow if I could justify it sitting on the drive for 5-6 days of the week, and with 2 kids now, I cant!

If you get a real minter then you won't lose much money when you come to sell it.

The only real bad-ish things were that after 3 years mine was starting to rattle a bit inside and the overall build quality wasn't the best, but then again neither was the Scoob!

If you can get one with the pink throttle cable upgrade, stitched seat bases and 'start' next to the starter button then that'll be a phase 2 model.
Also, watch out for the ECU map - some were 'AF and some (IIRC) wwere AE and I think the AF was the better one. It should tell you on a sticker on the door jamb.

Anyway, enjoy if you get one. I don't think you'll regret it!

p.s get a Bluefin ecu upgrade.

pps... I've got a nice RS number plate for sale (on retention) for an 03

blu scoob

I had one all over the road,put your foot down and it wheel spins every were, put your foot down into a bend and you will go into the bend not around it,basically its a nice looking focus but you wouldnt want to live in one for any amount of time

BOB.T

The problem with the RS is...

Doing that you could get the same results from a Micra!

CRAIGFIN

blu scoob / BOB.T,

The understeer you mention is what concerns me about the front wheel drive but I have to say that the online reviews do not mention that the RS understeers at all. They all rave about its grip levels in all conditions so I'm surprised to hear this.

Craig.

Will

zip106

...and that's funny because....what exactly

gt5500

Its funny because you dared to say on a scooby forum that you preferred something over a scooby and that it could in any way be nearly as fast as a scoob.........rose tints anyone???

gt5500

Next time you drive a fwd remember that there are more then two throttle positions

skinters

Remind me - does the Focus RS have an LSD? If so, it would tend to tug you into the corner, not wash wide. Understeer is nicely banished with LSD but requires a committed driver to get best results - but thats' part of the fun!

Big benefit is you can actually get the power down earlier in the corner than an equivalent RWD car which would kick out the back using the on/off throttle technique used above(!) and be more likely to send you hedgewards.

collierm

Must say I went out on a test drive last year before I bought the Impreza, there wasn't much in it really. If its driven well, its almost as quick as an Impreza. The only things that put me off were stories of some dodgy dash electrics, and I wasn't impressed with the interior (no comments thanks ).

Don't think you'll be disappointed with it, but personally I'd keep the 350Z, still want one now.

Cheers

Matt

stilover

Hi Craig

I owned one for 2 years (No 4496) and loved it to bits.

Lots of review on the Focus RS, some good, some bad. Mine? Mine was good. The speed, grip, handling is awsome. It has a Qualfe diff up front, so understeer just doesn't happen. Put you foot down around a roundabout and you can feel the diff working. It pulls the car into the corner and never washes wide.
Grip levels are huge, even in the wet. I once had a play with a nice chap in an Audi S2 in the wet. I out cornered him, out braked him. Basically blew him into the weeds, and that was in the wet.
When I first mentioned on here that I once owned a Focus RS and said I was disappointed with the Impreza, as the Focus could corner harder and brake later than my new Subaru, I was of course flamed. The truth is though, it really is that good. OK a AWD transmission will help a car get better traction OUT of the corner but cornering speed of the focus is better than my 05 STI with Prodrive spring kit.

The brakes. What you can't beat in a straight line, you can out brake when a corner arrives. The Focus RS's brakes are virtually race items, and stop as hard as any supercar. If I remember correctly:-

100-0mph
Porsche carrera GT = 4.1 sec
Pagani Zonda = 4.1 sec
Ferrari Enzo = 4.0 sec
Focus RS = 4.1 sec.

Brake pads are expensive though. There are 2 types. Cheap (£150) but they squeal, and expensive (£275) anti-squeal. I do have a brand new set of Anti-squeal for sale if you get one. Yours for £100.

I had mine Bluefin'd to 236BHP and 263 lb/ft which give it a very good power/Torque to weight ratio.

Another good point is that everyone seamed to like it. Was always getting " I like your car" especially from the ladies and not the thumbs up from 12 year old I know get in the Impreza.

OK. So it sounds like the perfect car? wrong.

90% of the time, on most roads the Focus RS can be driven one handed and full pelt. However because of the Diff, get it on a bumpy camber ridden road and the thing can jump about the road making overtaking interesting. A few times I thought I was going to side swipe the car I was overtaking. The best way round it was to overtake in a higher gear.

This was the only reason why I changed to Subaru. I don't live to far from the pennies, and as such enjoy taking my car over some very challenging roads. This is where the RS failed. I once got burned off by a guy in a Passat TDI as he was able to overtake at will, while I had to wait for a longer stretch of road (because I was using a higher gear than I wanted to), and one that didn't look so camber ridden


If most of your driving is on decent A & B roads the RS will be fine.

The best thing to do though is test drive a few, as the Diffs could vary between cars. Like I say, mine wasn't to bad unless on a really bad road.

Anything else you need to know, just ask.

Oh yes, mpg is about 25-27mpg.

Edited to say.
Do I miss my RS? Yes.
Will I be going back to Ford with the new RS? Yes, if AWD.

CRAIGFIN

stilover / zip106,

Thats exactly what I was looking for. A warts and all opinion. To be honest I don't race other cars at all so I'm not concerned with beating other cars. I do like flawed cars as they are much more interesting. My last four cars have been two Scoobies (V5 Type-R and Prodrive STI) and two Nissan 350Z's so I do like performance but its for when the conditions are right. I quite fancy the Bluefin remap as it sounds as though the RS will be quite a handful. All the reviews say to test drive a few before commiting but thats just not an option as there are only 2147 in the UK and most are hundreds of miles away.

Keep the opinions coming,

Cheers,

Craig.

richs2891

You have to drive a few until you find a good one, I looked into buying one three years ago and was amazed by the differance in the so called standard cars. Good fun cars but have to remember its not got 4wd, they are still keeping their value well and have a good presence on the road. Try and get a late car as possible

Richard

Fantom

I have no experience of them at all but i have to say the interior looks awful!!!!
Especially the steering wheel as already mentioned above.

stilover

You do get used to it.

Didn't mind the half Blue seats, but given the choice I'd have skipped it on the steering wheel.

As for the dash itself? Far better design and build quality than anything Subaru can glue together.

daves_scooby

I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS CHANGE MYSELF, AND THIS REVIEW HAS JUST GOT ME THINKING EVEN MORE YOU SHOULD BE A SALESMAN

I HAVENT EVER DRIVEN ONE BUT I DO LIKE THEM ALOT, AND I ONCE HAD A PLAY WITH ONE WHEN I HAD MY CTR AND IT BLEW ME AWAY I ASK THE GUY WHO HAD IT AND HE SAID BLUEFIN FITTED RUNNING 280BHP I MUST SAY IT WAS FAST. GO DRIVE 1 AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. GOOD LUCK